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Brother To Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men
The late black activist and poet Essex Hemphill follows in the footsteps of Joseph Beam with this powerful anthology of fiction, essays, and poetry by black gay men.
274 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 7, 2013
Excellent. It was really instrumental for me when I was just coming out more than 20 years ago. Disclosure: I am also one of the contributing authors.
November 13, 2017
This is a tremendous anthology. It gives a broad view of black gay men's writing and the issues inherent in their lives due to heterosexism and racism. It also makes obvious the impact AIDS has had on this community. In the second edition, when you read the two biographies, many of these men have passed away. So many losses.
Adrian Stanford who published the chapbook "Black and Queer," which is considered to be the first collection of homoerotic poetry, died in 1981. Several of his poems are in the book, including his:
Psalm for the ghetto
let there be planted the seeds for an intellectual, moral, and social revolution out of which a new civilization can be fashioned; out of which a new world can be hewn; wherein the black man can walk confidently and unafraid in that truth and that light which is freedom.
let there be issued no call for violence, unprovoked; but let the black man be admonished and prepared to confront every incident of force with greater force, to do so at his own discretion, in his elected manner, and on his chosen ground.
let there be emblazoned upon the inmost consciousness of the black man a perference for death in the cause of liberty and equality, rather than life in the toils of tyranny and racial servitude.
let black folk everywhere be clothed with a flesh that will not tolerate oppression, and intelligence that will not countenance injustice, and a spirit that will not suffer degradation.
let there be prepared the means by which the black man can convince himself that he must and shall be free.
let there be prepared the means by which the black man can convince himself that he must and shall be free.
let this be the black man's offering of love. let it be proffered in the glad conviction that the black man will servive, gloriously.
In the essay, "Toward a black gay aesthetic: Signifying in contemporary black gay literature," author Charles I. Nero tackles a number of issues. He writes, "Revising our culture's ideas about male-male sexual desire and love is a major concern in Essex Hemphill's collection of poems "Conditions." He comments on how Hemphill uses the literary technique of 'capping,' a figure of speech which revises an original statement by adding new terms. On the exchange of wedding bands, Hemphill writes this poem:
In america
I place my ring
on your cock
where it belongs...
In america,
place your ring
on my cock
where it belongs.
He also plays with the vows between the couple, "what the rose whispers/before blooming..."
The vows are:
I give you my heart,
a safe house.
I give you promise other than
milk, honey, liberty.
I assume you will always
be a free man with a dream.
These vows do not constrict and confine.
This is a book everyone should read. It is a classic filled with many exceptional and moving stories, poems, and essays. This book engenders compassion and understanding; it is a necessary read.
Adrian Stanford who published the chapbook "Black and Queer," which is considered to be the first collection of homoerotic poetry, died in 1981. Several of his poems are in the book, including his:
Psalm for the ghetto
let there be planted the seeds for an intellectual, moral, and social revolution out of which a new civilization can be fashioned; out of which a new world can be hewn; wherein the black man can walk confidently and unafraid in that truth and that light which is freedom.
let there be issued no call for violence, unprovoked; but let the black man be admonished and prepared to confront every incident of force with greater force, to do so at his own discretion, in his elected manner, and on his chosen ground.
let there be emblazoned upon the inmost consciousness of the black man a perference for death in the cause of liberty and equality, rather than life in the toils of tyranny and racial servitude.
let black folk everywhere be clothed with a flesh that will not tolerate oppression, and intelligence that will not countenance injustice, and a spirit that will not suffer degradation.
let there be prepared the means by which the black man can convince himself that he must and shall be free.
let there be prepared the means by which the black man can convince himself that he must and shall be free.
let this be the black man's offering of love. let it be proffered in the glad conviction that the black man will servive, gloriously.
In the essay, "Toward a black gay aesthetic: Signifying in contemporary black gay literature," author Charles I. Nero tackles a number of issues. He writes, "Revising our culture's ideas about male-male sexual desire and love is a major concern in Essex Hemphill's collection of poems "Conditions." He comments on how Hemphill uses the literary technique of 'capping,' a figure of speech which revises an original statement by adding new terms. On the exchange of wedding bands, Hemphill writes this poem:
In america
I place my ring
on your cock
where it belongs...
In america,
place your ring
on my cock
where it belongs.
He also plays with the vows between the couple, "what the rose whispers/before blooming..."
The vows are:
I give you my heart,
a safe house.
I give you promise other than
milk, honey, liberty.
I assume you will always
be a free man with a dream.
These vows do not constrict and confine.
This is a book everyone should read. It is a classic filled with many exceptional and moving stories, poems, and essays. This book engenders compassion and understanding; it is a necessary read.
July 26, 2009
I read this a long time ago and it really does a nice job of telling stories of how race and sexuality intersect. Essex Hemphill is the editor of this book and it has that 90's feel to it of writers exploring their place in the world.
December 10, 2021
I only encountered one story in this collection that wasn't emotionally powerful. I highly recommend everyone read this--especially those interested in personal narratives during the AIDS crisis.
December 26, 2021
Brother to Brother is more than an anthology, it is an experience. Each and every single poem and story here is a rich and heavy one meant to be enjoyed and savored. Even when some poems and stories didn't personally resonate with me, or where I felt like it fell short in comparison to other entries that really packed a punch more, still, what an honor for the reader! What I love about Brother to Brother is how after 30 years, it's still fresh. Yes, it's VERY 90's and is really steeped in that era, but it's still so deeply important and moving. From coming out stories, to first-time stories, to AIDS stories, to so much more, these stories can still speak for and about the experiences of Black gay men today. As Essex Hemphill's rousing introduction described so vividly, this anthology is a homecoming on so many levels, an homage to Joseph Beam who conceived this anthology and who sadly passed away right when he was starting it, and also respect to Joseph's mother, who carried the torch to help see through Joseph's (and Essex's) vision. There's triumph, hope, power, and liberation that emanates throughout Brother to Brother, but also an overwhelming eerie sadness as we know how most of these contributors, and Essex Hemphill, passed on from AIDS, so the homage, the history, the homecoming, only grows tenfold with the passage of time. If you can get your hand on a copy of Brother to Brother, especially the original 1991 copy, which is rare, don't hesitate and get it. It's truly something special.
July 3, 2020
This book had a profound effect on me when I read it in my 20's. It opened my eyes to what it must feel like to be marginalized in a marginalized community. It should be required reading for everyone and will have a lasting effect on those finding their identity and place in the world, not just LGBTQ that is not always as welcoming as it should be. If you can get your hands on Marlon Riggs documentary using these poems - do yourself a favor and watch.
April 24, 2022
“WORDS FROM THE HEARTS OF BLACK GAY MEN”
After Joseph Beam’s death in 1988, Essex Hemphill took on Beam’s project of compiling a second collection of black gay authors to follow Beam’s pioneering In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology (1986). In his introduction to Brother to Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men (1991), Hemphill writes: “Brother to Brother . . . is a story that laughs and cries and sings and celebrates; . . . These are truly words mined syllable by syllable from the hearts of black gay men.”
Hemphill tells us, “Brother to Brother is a community of voices that would have been disjointed had I not formally sectioned this book into thematic groupings.” The four thematic sections of Brother to Brother are “When I Think of Home,” “Baby, I’m for Real,” “Hold Tight Gently,” and “The Absence of Fear.” Each of the many poems, short stories, and nonfiction pieces explores the theme of the section in which it appears.
The title of the fourth section, “The Absence of Fear,” comes from the title of a personal narrative by Reginald T. Jackson included in Brother to Brother, the penultimate paragraph of which bears quoting: “{W]e, descendants of Mother Africa, must remember who we really are. How we are the past, future, and present all at once—the circle, the sphere that encompasses all . . . We began as a myriad of forms, including faggots and queens . . . We must not break the circle, but protect it. It is what continues to make us great.” As do so many of the writings in Brother to Brother, both poetry and prose, this piece by Reginald T. Jackson screams to be read aloud.
Several writers who appear in In the Life also appear in Brother to Brother: Joseph Beam, Melvin Dixon, Craig G. Harris, Essex Hemphill, Craig A. Reynolds, Assotto Saint, and Donald W. Woods. In his introduction to the 2007 RedBone Press reissue of Brother to Brother, Jafari Sinclaire Allen writes: ‘We invoke Joseph and Essex and Donald and Walter and Melvin and Roger and Marlon and Assotto and Adrian and Rory and Charles and David and Craig and Craig through re-reading and feeling their urgent words.” Allen presents here the first names of those writers included in Brother to Brother who were deceased when the 2007 edition was published. Most of these fourteen authors were lost to AIDS.
Brother to Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men is a powerful successor to In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology. It is as timely and important now as it was when it was originally published over thirty-five years ago. The 2007 reissue of Brother to Brother is still in print.
After Joseph Beam’s death in 1988, Essex Hemphill took on Beam’s project of compiling a second collection of black gay authors to follow Beam’s pioneering In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology (1986). In his introduction to Brother to Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men (1991), Hemphill writes: “Brother to Brother . . . is a story that laughs and cries and sings and celebrates; . . . These are truly words mined syllable by syllable from the hearts of black gay men.”
Hemphill tells us, “Brother to Brother is a community of voices that would have been disjointed had I not formally sectioned this book into thematic groupings.” The four thematic sections of Brother to Brother are “When I Think of Home,” “Baby, I’m for Real,” “Hold Tight Gently,” and “The Absence of Fear.” Each of the many poems, short stories, and nonfiction pieces explores the theme of the section in which it appears.
The title of the fourth section, “The Absence of Fear,” comes from the title of a personal narrative by Reginald T. Jackson included in Brother to Brother, the penultimate paragraph of which bears quoting: “{W]e, descendants of Mother Africa, must remember who we really are. How we are the past, future, and present all at once—the circle, the sphere that encompasses all . . . We began as a myriad of forms, including faggots and queens . . . We must not break the circle, but protect it. It is what continues to make us great.” As do so many of the writings in Brother to Brother, both poetry and prose, this piece by Reginald T. Jackson screams to be read aloud.
Several writers who appear in In the Life also appear in Brother to Brother: Joseph Beam, Melvin Dixon, Craig G. Harris, Essex Hemphill, Craig A. Reynolds, Assotto Saint, and Donald W. Woods. In his introduction to the 2007 RedBone Press reissue of Brother to Brother, Jafari Sinclaire Allen writes: ‘We invoke Joseph and Essex and Donald and Walter and Melvin and Roger and Marlon and Assotto and Adrian and Rory and Charles and David and Craig and Craig through re-reading and feeling their urgent words.” Allen presents here the first names of those writers included in Brother to Brother who were deceased when the 2007 edition was published. Most of these fourteen authors were lost to AIDS.
Brother to Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men is a powerful successor to In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology. It is as timely and important now as it was when it was originally published over thirty-five years ago. The 2007 reissue of Brother to Brother is still in print.
March 10, 2021
This book was a bit difficult to get through and rate- given that it is so heavy. The first section is largely coming of age stories that illustrate the first gay/queer experiences of the writers. The second section delves deeply into the AIDS crisis and the final section is on the more academic side. Needless to say, you will learn a great deal from each section- whether from folks’ stories or from their thoughts on the intersectional struggles of gay black men.
One of the most interesting recurring themes in the book is the question of whether the group should be referred to as “gay black men” or “black gay men”. Relatedly, there are a few passages that critique Black academics for their homophobia and demonizing gay black men in the name of Black Power and/or Afrocentricity. There also exists questions of the how femininity interacts within this entire dynamic.
Overall, I recommend the book to anyone- though I caution everyone to take their time reading it in order to let things sink in every couple passages. I definitely had to do this.
One of the most interesting recurring themes in the book is the question of whether the group should be referred to as “gay black men” or “black gay men”. Relatedly, there are a few passages that critique Black academics for their homophobia and demonizing gay black men in the name of Black Power and/or Afrocentricity. There also exists questions of the how femininity interacts within this entire dynamic.
Overall, I recommend the book to anyone- though I caution everyone to take their time reading it in order to let things sink in every couple passages. I definitely had to do this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2020
"Look around, brothers. There is rampant killing in our communities. Drug addiction and drug trafficking overwhelm us. The blood of young black men runs curbside in a steady flow. The bodies of black infants crave crack, not the warmth of a mother's love. The nation's prisons are
reservations and shelters for black men. An entire generation of black youths is being destroyed before our eyes. We cannot witness this in silence and apathy and claim our hands are bloodless. We are a wandering tribe that needs to go home before home is gone. We should not continue standing in line to be admitted into spaces that don't want us there. We cannot continue to exist without clinics, political organizations, human services, and cultural institutions that we create to support, sustain, and affirm us"
reservations and shelters for black men. An entire generation of black youths is being destroyed before our eyes. We cannot witness this in silence and apathy and claim our hands are bloodless. We are a wandering tribe that needs to go home before home is gone. We should not continue standing in line to be admitted into spaces that don't want us there. We cannot continue to exist without clinics, political organizations, human services, and cultural institutions that we create to support, sustain, and affirm us"
December 15, 2023
I'm reading this book for my comprehensive exams, and since I own both editions of Brother to Brother, I decided to read the latest edition because it includes new paratextual material. Almost three months after I started, I'm finally done, and I must say that I'm sorely disappointed by the egregious lack of copyediting in this edition. It was quite frustrating. I give 5 stars to the original edition of Brother to Brother and a virtual ass-whuppin to whoever was (ir)responsible for ensuring the book was clear, correct, concise, comprehensible, and consistent.
January 19, 2025
A great ode to Black Gay literature. As a Black Queer person myself, it felt like I was reading writings of my elders. It exuded respect, relevance to the Black community as a whole and opened my world to many writers I’ve never heard of before. It felt grateful to read and I enjoyed the blend of poetry, shorts, essays and fiction, as well as, non fiction.
I am left being reminded that the forefathers of my community did a lot and endured too much for the work to end heterosexism, particularly in our own communities, to end now.
Urgency is paramount and Black Queer love is here to stay.
I am left being reminded that the forefathers of my community did a lot and endured too much for the work to end heterosexism, particularly in our own communities, to end now.
Urgency is paramount and Black Queer love is here to stay.
December 1, 2020
Good book
March 24, 2022
Very educational and not just for gay men of colour to learn from.
September 16, 2011
As a representation of the work of a group of AIDS-afflicted black men, this provides tremendous insight. As a collection of prose and poetry, it feels overly-sentimental. Distinguish between the two in order to avoid being frustrated and actually learn something from this book.
December 20, 2012
Warm, evoking poems ...
April 11, 2017
Lot of useful perspectives offered here. Leans heavy on non fiction with chunks of poetry and a couple of cool short stories. This edition has some sloppy editing from the publisher. Worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews